


The Path I Choose Leads To You

by whendidthisshowbecomemylife



Category: Free!
Genre: Australia, Confessions, First Kiss, HARURINRALIA, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-12
Updated: 2014-09-12
Packaged: 2018-02-17 02:42:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2293976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whendidthisshowbecomemylife/pseuds/whendidthisshowbecomemylife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin took Haru to Australia to help him clear his mind and to reignite that familiar fire in his heart, but this time the flames taste different than before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Path I Choose Leads To You

They arrived at the hotel, exhausted but excited for the week to come. Haru had seemed tense at first, but once they left the plane and he breathed the fresh air and caught the foreign scent, he seemed to perk up. Rin was glad to see it – though Haru was never exactly expressive, the stress of the past few weeks had really taken its toll on the freestyle swimmer and he seemed less uninterested and more wrecked.

Rin dropped his bag next to the double bed which they would be sharing due to a lack of rooms with two singles. „Should we rest for a bit and then go out?“ he questioned, stretching. „Yeah.“ Haru responded, but when the redhead looked over, he was standing in front of the window gazing at the unfamiliar sight outside. Rin approached him slowly.

„How do you feel, Haru?“

A silence lingered for a couple seconds before Rin caught the quiet response, „Free.“ He watched the back of the raven’s head, emotions flowing from his fingertips to spread through his entire body. His knees began to feel a little like they were made of cotton, but his hand was steady as he reached out to gently wrap his fingers around Haru’s own, and give his arm a light tug to turn the quiet boy around. Blue eyes locked onto Rin’s crimson ones, and they watched each other wordlessly, Rin trying to decypher the sparkle in Haru’s eyes that hadn’t been there before they landed and the delicate furrow of his eyebrows.

„We all want the best for you, Haru.“

Another silence stretched between them, but somehow the two felt closer than they ever had been. Haru lowered his eyes and turned his head away slightly to focus his gaze on the edge of the bed. He knew what Rin was saying was true, but he couldn’t find a safe path through his own feelings and thoughts. He couldn’t piece himself together and he felt suffocated by the familiarity of Iwatobi. The second he inhaled the Australian heat he felt like his mind had been lifted out of his body. He felt like he was looking at himself from above and everything was finally clear.

„Why did you bring me here?“ he questioned, still refusing to look Rin in the eyes. He needed to know if Rin understood, if somehow Rin had figured him out before he himself had, before even Makoto had. He needed to have solid reassurance that he wasn’t alone.

„I wanted to show you that you can move forward and still be free.“

Haru let out a huff of breath. His heart was rising into his throat and his stomach was squeezing harshly. „I feel free now...“

„I know.“

„...with you.“

Once again, the room fell into silence. Rin watched the boy in front of him, still refusing to look him in the eye, but even from his angle he knew what he could see in Haru’s eyes – hope and courage. The redhead’s heart was pounding and he could almost feel blood flowing through every individual vein in his body. Haru would always be a mystery to him, but if he ever felt like he could really understand this boy, it was at that moment. Their hands were still clasped loosely together as he stepped closer, and finally Haru dared look at him. Their faces were close enough for Haru’s shallow breaths to glide over his cheeks, and slowly they gravitated towards each other in mutual understanding, their fingers wrapping around each other more and more tightly, eyes slipping closed until their lips settled together in a soft kiss. They barely pulled apart and then Haru was leaning in again, this time giving a little suck on Rin’s lower lip, and the taller placed his free hand onto the raven’s lower back, pulling him closer. Haru’s fingers carded through red strands and every kiss was longer and wetter and deeper, until Rin shyly pressed his tongue against Haru’s slightly swollen lips, which parted in acceptance. They slid against each other, frantic but strangely composed, until finally Rin pulled his head back to catch his breath. 

They stayed standing so close, arms around each other and foreheads pressed together, and through his heavy breaths Haru whispered, „Thank you, Rin.“

**Author's Note:**

> i am rinharu trash
> 
> harurinralia is the death of me how could i not


End file.
